Venting!

So I get a drone to catch some cool imagery and learn about the hobby only to discover all of these new rules set about by the FAA. I am floored by my ignorance of these rules and how they are going to impact a novice who has no intention of becoming an expert in "drone piloting". Watching YouTube I am seeing people who make a living with drones chearleading all of these restrictions because it makes them more profitable. I don't see many hobbiests that support these rules.

My question is, would you recommend this hobby to the next guy? I am seriously disinchanted by all of this nonsense with the Federal Government placing restrictions on a flying camera.

Anyway, I am butthurt because this thing wasn't cheap and I feel like I wasted my money or I need to learn a whole new career in order to get some pictures from the air.

Is there any silver lining to this?

Arghh...

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It is the same the world over. Australia is also bringing in registration etc. Suck it up and enjoy flying. Once you get the bug you will soon enjoy your drone. I do not know the American rules but they exist for good reason and that is for the safety of all airspace users.

400' max height AGL, always fly VLOS.  Those "restrictions" are not very limiting IMHO.  I still have a lot of fun and have taken some amazing photos.  Yes, I would recommend the hobby!

You don’t say which rule(s) have left you in need of a rubber support cushion.

Please elaborate to help us better understand your frustration.

Regards

Nidge.

Yes I would recommend the hobby.

Nidge Posted at 6-18 22:58
You don’t say which rule(s) have left you in need of a rubber support cushion.

Please elaborate to help us better understand your frustration.

Registration is a big one. I am not registering and paying the government for permission to use this camera. Then there is the requirement to know what are "no fly zones", I get it around airports, but there are thousands of no fly zones around the US and that limits the usefulness of these things. Then there is this mandatory training requirement I am hearing about that you will have to present to law enforcement if asked for it....HELL NO!

Geoff_Tac Posted at 6-19 07:29
Registration is a big one. I am not registering and paying the government for permission to use this camera. Then there is the requirement to know what are "no fly zones", I get it around airports, but there are thousands of no fly zones around the US and that limits the usefulness of these things. Then there is this mandatory training requirement I am hearing about that you will have to present to law enforcement if asked for it....HELL NO!

Registration is super cheap and helps to find your drone if you lose it!  What's the big deal with that?

No Fly Zones are there to protect us all - including us pilots.  I would feel so bad if my drone crashed into a waterfall at a national park, or into a prison, or etc...  The DJI app shows you where the no fly zones are, so there isn't anything to worry about.

The test - I'm glad they are making pilots do this.  If you don't understand the laws of the sky, you shouldn't be flying.  It's not that complicated.

I don't mean to be rude - but if you aren't going to fly properly, then don't join the hobby.  Someone who doesn't understand ruins it for us all.

Bender1031 Posted at 6-19 09:10
Registration is super cheap and helps to find your drone if you lose it!  What's the big deal with that?

No Fly Zones are there to protect us all - including us pilots.  I would feel so bad if my drone crashed into a waterfall at a national park, or into a prison, or etc...  The DJI app shows you where the no fly zones are, so there isn't anything to worry about.

So your position is, fall in line or GTFO? I get it, you are a follower and are willing to sacrifice freedom for security.  

Geoff_Tac Posted at 6-19 10:27
So your position is, fall in line or GTFO? I get it, you are a follower and are willing to sacrifice freedom for security.

Lol - well aren't you a grumpy elf   And - I wouldn't consider following the rules a sacrifice of freedom, do you?

Geoff_Tac Posted at 6-19 10:27
So your position is, fall in line or GTFO? I get it, you are a follower and are willing to sacrifice freedom for security.

Well, few idiots actually get caught. Notice how people drive. Take heart in that.

Geoff_Tac Posted at 6-19 10:27
So your position is, fall in line or GTFO? I get it, you are a follower and are willing to sacrifice freedom for security.

I am also a hobbyist, and I for one will attempt to get the 107 license...never know.... If you fly safe, not around airports, under 400 feet, then this is a blast anyway. Like you said there are plenty of fly zones depending on where you live of course. Registering your drone is 5 bucks for one or more drones. nothing more if you are a hobbyist. pretty simple to do and place decal on the outside of your drone(s). I own three drones and depending on weather I fly often and not worry about it.
I feel you however read some more and find out that you can do a lot. Just my opinion.

just be thankful you are not in Canada!!!! Way more strict on their new rules.

P.S. - what kind of drone did you get?

Geoff_Tac Posted at 6-19 07:29
Registration is a big one. I am not registering and paying the government for permission to use this camera. Then there is the requirement to know what are "no fly zones", I get it around airports, but there are thousands of no fly zones around the US and that limits the usefulness of these things. Then there is this mandatory training requirement I am hearing about that you will have to present to law enforcement if asked for it....HELL NO!

I’ll be the first to admit that many of the registration requirements placed on hobbyists are born from a knee jerk reaction and a demonstration of general ignorance by the authorities, but in the last five years or so there has been plenty of evidence provided to these authorities of delinquent individuals willingly going above and beyond the realms of sensibility.

The US was probably one of the first regions to make registration mandatory but it still has one of the most lenient schedules. Recently Canada has imposed some of the most draconian and restrictive forms of legislation that to all intents and purposes your average person has been banned from flying a “Drone”.

Here in the UK we are currently going through a similar change to regulations that will impact anyone and everyone who operates any form of flying model, including paper aeroplanes. As it stands at the moment the proposal will mean that we will have to pay an annual mandatory fee of around $25, persons under the age of 14 will need to be supervised at all times, and everyone will have to take a mandatory online proficiency test. There has also been a lot of talk that in the future all models will be required to have ADS-B transponders fitted, this gives you some idea of how ignorant those making these regulations truly are.

I’ve been playing and experimenting with autonomous models for around 15 years or so but it is mainly in the last five years that it has become fashionable, due mainly in part to the availability of RTF models such as the Phantom and its clones, and the relative lack of skill and understanding required to put one of these models in the air. I also think that the consumer Drone craze is on the decline, I base this on the decreasing activity in online forums and Facebook groups and the fact that many manufacturers have either ceased production or are moving their interests more toward the commercial market. It is to this end I believe the powers that be here in the UK have grossly overestimated the number of expected registrations and that the scheme has inadvertently been designed to fail.

As for the current requirements for registration in the US I would suggest you do it. You don’t lose any privileges by doing so, but by not doing so you effect those whom are abiding by the regulations and inviting the introduction of further regulation which will place further restrictions and penalties.

Regards

Nidge.

In USA, we were told to "call the tower." I thought, "That would be pretty annoying for the airport crews."

Now they say, "don't call the tower!"

"Is there any silver lining to this?"

The silver lining is that you're now wiser about drone regulations. If you think they're preventing you from getting cool footage, check out the thousands and thousands of videos posted by drone flyers on this site and elsewhere. Obeying regulations hasn't hampered them. You gave up way too easily.

And your standard for freedom is laughably low. As an American, you have more freedom than 99 percent of the world's population, but you think you're not free because you can't fly a drone wherever you want. The world's poor weep for you.

I feel your frustration,  I just hope the FAA implements the FAAs mapping for hobbyists in a reasonable amount of time


As for the djigo app showing you all the restricted airspace - it doesn't,  the only official and accurate source of no fly zones is the FAA app B4UFly

GO4 often warns me about airport when I'm just outside the part of Class E airspace that reaches the ground.

B4UFly doesn't seem to tell me anything understandable. I hear there will be a new version coming.

Airmap shows me Class E airspace in enough detail I can find where is outside. It agrees with the sectional charts showing where Class E reaches the ground. (The magenta dashed circle.)

Pretty much my whole town is class E airspace except for a little bit on the east edge of town. My motel, the A-4 fighter display and nearby fields and parking lots, the park where I often fly and the cemetery where QuickShots - Orbit flew into the belltower are all outside Class E airspace.